Not yet built. Every price, cost and fee on this page is a design-stage estimate. Nothing here is for sale yet.
Every meaningful decision in this product, the rationale, and the alternatives we rejected. If you disagree, we want to hear about it.
Running log of every keep/swap/drop decision for the audio-family reframe of WanderSpeaker. Citations per entry.
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Decision: WanderSpeaker v2 is a premium audio family (Sonos/HomePod/Echo competitor class), not a voice-assistant + room-sensor-hub. The voice-assistant + room-sensor-hub function survives and is retained as the default WanderVerse-native voice endpoint when paired with WanderNode Hub, but the product's primary identity is audio.
Prior manifest reframe: The 2026-04-24 manifest (3-tier Lite/Standard/Pro voice assistant with Pi-based Whisper.cpp + ReSpeaker 4-Mic architecture) is superseded. The Pi-based voice-hub concept is relocated to a separate product (working name WanderVoice, tracked in WANDERVERSE-FOUNDERS-ACCESS-PLAN.md open items).
WanderSpeaker v2 is audio-first. Voice is an integration, not the core.
Why: user brief explicitly positions against Sonos Era / HomePod / Google Nest Audio / Echo Studio / Sonos Roam + Move, and requires IP67 outdoor, Class-D amp thermal discipline, published THD+N curves, and an audiophile reference tier competing with KEF LSX II + Genelec 8030C. That is an audio-engineering product, not a Pi-hub. Attempting to serve both product briefs in one SKU would compromise both.
Source: user's canonical brief 2026-04-24; _HARDWARE-TOOLCHAIN.md; _STANDALONE-AND-PLATFORM-INTEGRATION.md.
Decision: 4-tier audio family.
| Tier | Device ID | Price | Chassis archetype | Competitor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Room** | `WV-SPKR-ROOM` | TBD | Passive bookshelf powered, 1× 4" woofer + 1× 0.75" tweeter, 30W Class-D | Sonos Era 100 ($249), Google Nest Audio ($99), Echo Dot ($49-99) |
| **Portable** | `WV-SPKR-PORT` | TBD | Handle-carry, IP55, 2× 2.5" FR + 2× passive radiators, 40W Class-D, 12h battery | Sonos Roam 2 ($179), Beats Pill ($149), JBL Flip 7 ($149) |
| **Outdoor** | `WV-SPKR-OUT` | TBD | IP67, rugged, 2× 3.5" FR + 1× upfiring tweeter + dual passive radiators, 60W Class-D, 20h battery | Sonos Move 2 ($449), UE Hyperboom ($449), JBL Xtreme 4 ($379) |
| **Reference** | `WV-SPKR-REF` | TBD | Stereo pair, 1× 5.25" Kevlar woofer + 1× 1" silk-dome tweeter per speaker, 80W+80W Class-D bi-amped, networked | KEF LSX II ($1,399), Genelec 8030C ($1,295 ea), Sonos Five ($549), HomePod ($299) |
All prices are per-unit (Reference ships as stereo pair; the Reference price covers the pair, competing with KEF LSX II single-pair price).
Rationale: user spec mapped onto 4 use cases, stationary home listening (Room), carry-to-any-room (Portable), outdoor + travel (Outdoor IP67), critical listening (Reference). No tier overlaps, each solves a problem the others don't.
Decision: the WanderVerse-native voice assistant (routed through WanderNode Hub for uncensored local LLM; Rhasspy + Whisper.cpp on-device fallback for standalone) is the default. Alexa / Google Assistant / Siri are user-opt-in passthroughs, not bundled defaults.
Why: (1) the category-defining differentiator is privacy + identity-awareness + no corporate-AI-refusals; bundling the opposite undermines the pitch. (2) Amazon AVS + Google Assistant SDK both require device-ID registration with their cloud, which violates our privacy floor. (3) Survivors / undocumented / trans users specifically need voice that doesn't phone home. (4) These passthroughs are only needed for Smart Home routines users have already built elsewhere. We support them via Matter, not deep cloud integration.
Implementation: opt-in toggles in WanderOS companion app. Off by default. If enabled, scoped permission (wake-word-only passthrough, no always-listening). LED + HW mic-kill switch always authoritative.
Source: WANDERVERSE-PLATFORM-STANDARDS.md privacy floor; memory project_wanderverse_founders_plan.md.
WV-SPKR-ROOM / -PORT / -OUT / -REFv2.0-audio-family-candidateMain SoC (all tiers): ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 N16R8, 2.4 GHz WiFi + BLE 5 + 16 MB flash + 8 MB PSRAM + dual LX7 @ 240 MHz + integrated ESP-SR wake-word + Espressif audio ADF. Why: audio-optimized, proven in commercial smart speakers, active lifecycle through 2030+, modular cert passthrough, cheap (~$3.50 @ 1k), low-power sleep. ⚠ needs validation: multi-room sync latency under load, Espressif supports ~10 ms group sync via mDNS + NTP; we target <50 ms group lag across network.
DSP / audio pipeline (all tiers): XMOS XU316-1024-FB265 for Portable / Outdoor / Reference, 8-core 32-bit xCORE, runs USB audio + 48/96 kHz I2S + wake-word engine + multi-mic beamforming + psychoacoustic EQ. Room tier omits XMOS and uses ESP32-S3 native I2S + light-weight ESP-SR, tradeoff is less sophisticated DSP but keeps Room BOM at target. ⚠ needs validation: XMOS XVF3800 vs XU316 for WanderVerse's specific beamforming needs, XU316 more flexible, XVF3800 more turnkey.
Class-D amplifier: per tier:
| Tier | Amp | Power | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room | TI **TAS5805M** | 2×23W @ 8Ω / 4Ω | I2S in, integrated DSP, built-in EQ + DRC + speaker protection, proven in smart speakers, ~$4 @ 1k |
| Portable | TI **TAS5825M** | 2×38W / 4×23W @ 4Ω | higher efficiency for battery; integrated DSP; sub-40 mW idle; ~$6 @ 1k |
| Outdoor | TI **TAS5825M** ×2 (bi-amped) | 4×38W | dual-amp bi-amp configuration for passive radiators; same DSP; headroom for outdoor SPL |
| Reference | TI **TPA3255** (high-SNR variant) + TAS5825M DSP frontend | 4×80W continuous @ 4Ω | audiophile-class 123 dB SNR Class-D; bi-amp + DSP room correction; ~$22 @ 1k |
Source: TI datasheets; TAS5805M/5825M are the industry standard for smart-speaker class Class-D (Amazon Echo, Sonos One use TI Class-D of this class); TPA3255 is the audiophile go-to for sub-$1k powered monitors.
Audio codec (all tiers): Cirrus Logic CS47L15 stereo codec + integrated HP amp for Ref tier headphone jack; Room/Portable/Outdoor use the Class-D amp's onboard ADC/DAC. 24-bit/96 kHz native, 24-bit/192 kHz oversampled for Reference.
Speaker drivers: per tier:
| Tier | Driver(s) | Vendor | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room | 1× **Tymphany TC9FD18-08** 3.5" FR paper | Tymphany (Denmark) | inherited from Blueprint v1; proven cheap full-range; $15.50 @ 1k; great mid-range; rolls off above 15 kHz |
| Room + tweeter | 1× **Peerless by Tymphany TG9FD10-08** 0.75" silk dome | Tymphany | $6 @ 1k; extends high-frequency response past 20 kHz; crossover @ 3 kHz |
| Portable | 2× **Tang Band W2-1625SA** 2.5" neodymium FR | Tang Band (Taiwan) | compact full-range; good for portable size; $12 @ 1k |
| Portable radiator | 2× **Dayton SD60-PR** 60mm passive | Dayton Audio (US) | dual opposed PRs cancel cabinet motion; extend bass to ~70 Hz in small cabinet; $12 each |
| Outdoor | 2× **Tang Band W3-1876S** 3.5" weather-resistant FR | Tang Band | IP-rated; handles outdoor SPL requirement (~95 dB @ 1m); $18 @ 1k |
| Outdoor tweeter | 1× **Tang Band 25-1744S** 1" upfiring dome | Tang Band | 360° dispersion for outdoor; weather-treated dome; $22 @ 1k |
| Outdoor radiator | 2× **Dayton DSA80-PR** 80mm passive | Dayton | larger radiators for outdoor bass presence; $18 each |
| Reference woofer | 2× (1 per speaker) **SB Acoustics SB15NRXC30-8** 5.25" Kevlar | SB Acoustics (Denmark) | audiophile-tier mid-woofer; flat response to 2 kHz; Le low for cross; $65 @ 1k |
| Reference tweeter | 2× **SB Acoustics SB26ADC-C000-4** 1" silk dome | SB Acoustics | matches woofer; smooth high end; $45 @ 1k |
Source: driver choices per user brief ("Reference tier competes with KEF LSX II / Genelec 8030C"); SB Acoustics and Tymphany are established audiophile driver vendors; Tang Band is the portable-speaker industry default; Dayton passive radiators are US-sourced + proven.
Power: per tier:
| Tier | Source | Battery |
|---|---|---|
| Room | **Mains only**, external USB-C PD 100W brick | — |
| Portable | Mains USB-C PD 65W + 7.4V 5200 mAh Li-ion pack (Samsung 21700 ×2) | replaceable via rear service panel, 12h music playback |
| Outdoor | Mains USB-C PD 100W + 7.4V 7800 mAh LiFePO4 pack (LFP chemistry, -20 to +60°C rated) | user-replaceable, 20h music playback |
| Reference | **Mains only**, per-speaker internal 150W AC→DC (dual IEC C14 inlet per speaker) | — |
LFP chemistry on Outdoor is a deliberate choice over LCO/NMC Li-ion: LFP is the only consumer chemistry rated to -20°C sustained discharge, which is required for outdoor -20 to +60°C operating spec. Tradeoff: lower energy density → bigger battery, heavier unit. Accepted. ⚠ needs validation: LFP at -20°C holds 70-80% rated capacity per Panasonic datasheet; real-world cold-weather testing required at EVT.
Wireless audio: per tier:
| Standard | Room | Portable | Outdoor | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WiFi 6 (2.4 + 5 GHz) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| AirPlay 2 (MFi certified) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Chromecast built-in | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Spotify Connect | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Tidal Connect | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Bluetooth 5.3 + LC3 (for local fallback) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Matter 1.3 Speaker Accessory | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| WanderNode Hub multi-room (our native) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Wired Ethernet (PoE+) | ✅ | — | — | ✅ |
Source: user brief explicit requirement. MFi certification (AirPlay 2) is the gate: Apple charges $0.08 per unit + annual $5k program fee. Chromecast built-in requires Google's CFC cert (Cast-for-Consumer, ~$15k family-wide). Matter 1.3 Speaker Accessory is a 2024 standard; CSA membership $7k/yr + cert per product family ~$5k.
Wake-word / voice:
Per-tier: finish, grille color, mount (table / wall / ceiling / bike / tripod), voice-assistant defaults, Ambassador signature tier, wall-mount bracket, subscription. See CONFIGURATOR.md.
Resolved:
Deferred:
Distributor-catalog-available for ~60% of parts (ESP32-S3, TAS5805/5825, TPA3255, CS47L15, Tymphany + Dayton drivers). Needs-rfq for XMOS, Tang Band, SB Acoustics, MFi AirPlay 2 program, Google CFC cast, Matter cert. See SOURCING.csv.
COMPLIANCE.md.BOM-platform.csv: per-tier platformBOM-modules.csv: user-configurable modules (finish, strap/handle, grille color, mount)STL-OPEN-FILES/README.md: grille + mount + port tubes + internal baffle STLs + OpenSCAD parametric for speaker enclosure port tuningGATE.md + SERVICE-FLOW.md---
| Item | Severity | Action owner | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MFi AirPlay 2 program enrollment + per-unit license | 🔴 Michael | 2026-Q4 |
| 2 | Google Chromecast Built-in (CFC) partnership | 🔴 Michael | 2026-Q4 |
| 3 | Tidal Connect SDK partnership | 🟡 Michael | 2027-Q1 |
| 4 | Matter 1.3 Speaker Accessory cert (CSA membership) | 🟡 cert team | 2027-Q1 |
| 5 | SB Acoustics distributor relationship for Reference drivers | 🟡 sourcing | 2027-Q2 |
| 6 | Engineering team hire (audio DSP + firmware + industrial design) | 🔴 Michael | NOW - 2026-Q3 |
| 7 | XMOS FAE relationship for XU316 partitioning + Vocalfusion SDK | 🟡 FW | 2026-Q4 |
| 8 | Contract manufacturer: wearable-class-but-bigger EMS with speaker-assembly experience | 🔴 Michael | 2027-Q1 |
| 9 | Audio-measurement lab partnership for per-unit PVT (Klippel Near-Field Scanner class) | 🟡 ops | 2027-Q2 |
| 10 | Uncensored local LLM voice-assistant standalone fallback (no WanderNode Hub present) | 🟡 WanderOS team | 2027-Q2 |
| 11 | Reference tier L/R sync protocol: custom WiFi mesh vs ethernet-between-pair vs BLE/UWB distance sync | 🟡 FW | 2027-Q1 |
| 12 | UV-stable TPU grille cloth supplier for Outdoor tier (accelerated UV testing at EVT) | 🟡 ind design | 2027-Q2 |
| 13 | LFP battery pack supplier for Outdoor (-20°C rated): Samsung / Panasonic / custom OEM | 🟡 sourcing | 2027-Q1 |
| 14 | Klippel driver measurement validation for published THD+N + SPL-vs-THD curves | 🟡 audio eng | 2027-Q2 |
| 15 | MD/FL wiretap compliance for wake-word recording (same as WanderBand) | 🟢 legal | 2027-Q1 |
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| # | v1 Blueprint choice | v2 SOP decision | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Single $588 voice-hub SKU, Raspberry Pi 5 compute | 4-tier audio family on ESP32-S3 + XMOS DSP | Audio-first reframe; Pi-hub moved to separate WanderVoice SKU |
| 2 | Onboard AC-DC with UL 62368-1 burden | External USB-C PD brick (Room/Portable/Outdoor); internal AC on Reference only | Cert cost + field-repairability; Reference justifies internal AC for audiophile signal-path purity |
| 3 | Tymphany TC9FD18-08 3.5" woofer + TAS5825M | Room: TC9FD18-08 + TAS5805M + tweeter + passive-radiator tuning; Portable/Outdoor: tiered drivers | Each tier gets correctly-sized driver topology |
| 4 | Waveshare 2.8" DSI round display | Dropped from all tiers; optional LED status bar only | Speaker is an audio product, not a display product |
| 5 | Mic kill switch + mute + panic | Retained: all tiers ship HW mic-kill + mute + panic (inherited) | Privacy floor per WanderVerse standard |
| 6 | UWB DWM1000, mmWave, thermistor, air quality, ultrasonic, UV, tamper, IMU, NFC | Dropped: these are Sensor Pod hub features, not speaker features | Audio product scope; Sensor Pod handles sensor-hub role |
| 7 | Silicone conformal + GORE vents | Outdoor tier only (IP67) | Room/Portable don't need it; Outdoor inherits the Blueprint choice |
| 8 | Custom CNC aluminum body | Reference tier only (CNC alu baffle + MDF rear); Room/Portable/Outdoor use injection polymer + MDF hybrid per tier | Cost discipline + acoustic integrity |
| 9 | Consolidated sensor mount + TPU gaskets | Dropped (no sensors to mount); TPU gaskets retained for Outdoor IP67 seal | Scoped out |
| 10 | Supercapacitor UPS | Dropped: mains-powered tiers tolerate reboot; Portable/Outdoor have battery UPS function inherent | Scoped out |
| 11 | Dual opposing 60mm passive radiators | Retained on Portable + Outdoor (right tool); Reference uses ported enclosure + computed port tube; Room gets single PR as cost compromise | Acoustic engineering-first decisions |
These conflicts are intentional. The v1 Blueprint was a voice-hub architecture misclassified as a speaker; the v2 SOP run correctly classifies it.